Academic Advisors Office

Academic Advisors Office

The start of a new school year, especially for students that are just beginning their college journey, can be rough. Emotions and stress run rapidly through the minds of the people that are completely new to this experience. Fortunately for them, they have access to academic advisors all year round. Located on the second floor of the Student Services Center, advisors are there to make the college experience somewhat less stressful for students. "I like helping and seeing people go from start to finish"  proclaimed Brad Swenson, an academic advisor at Bloomsburg University. Students often go back to Mr. Swenson before they graduate to say thank you for helping them with making college life easier on them. Advisors at Bloomsburg are here to assist students with a variety of things. Whether students need to change their schedule or need guidance with their major, advisors always take them in with open arms. 

Figure 1

Although Mr. Swenson has a bachelors degree in Elementary Education, teaching younger children is not where his heart is set. He picked up a job at the Carnegie Science center after his student teaching. He proclaimed that "the science center helped me realize that I liked working in an education arena, I just didn't want the small box." Later on, he attended grad school at IUP to receive his masters. While there, he worked in residence life. That life was not ideal for him, saying that it was tough having "your job as your home and your home as your job." He then learned to work with athletes by working at the University of Charleston in West Virginia, where 85% of the freshman students on campus were on a sports roster. Here at Bloomsburg University, Mr. Swenson works with both undeclared students and student-athletes. Each advisor in the office has experience with every type of student.  

Figure 2

Going to the office is simple and the wonderful people there make it as stress-free as possible. You can either set up an appointment or just walk-in. Once you walk in, you're immediately greeted with a smile by the office assistant at the front desk. The small front room is where you can sign in and wait for your advisor, with a table with magazines in the corner to keep you occupied. The advisor will come and greet you in the front, then take you back to their office. When walking to the office, you are greeted by a relaxing room with a small couch and coffee table (Figure 1) Each office is connected to that little common area. Mr. Swenson's office is quite bigger than some of the others. the desk is large, and there is a small couch in the back of the room. To add to the calming nature of the office, there is also a small waterfall machine to add a relaxing white noise to the background (Figure 2).

Once you get seated, your advisor will bring up your schedule and ask you about how your classes are going. A conversation will spark regarding your interests and hobbies and how you are doing in your current classes. Every question you have, you will be provided with an answer, even if it's just pointing you in the right direction. They listen to your interests and make you feel like you are not just another student. The busiest days are during the first week of classes when Mr. Swenson said he would typically see around 40-48 students per day. Overall, the academic advisors are there throughout your entire college process to guide and help you with your every need.

Why Tri Pi

Where else can you get insanely good, greasy food in the early hours of the morning every day of the week? Bloomsburg's very own Tri Pi pizzeria would be the answer! Bright red, green and white lights illuminate the sidewalk and few tables and chairs that are set up out front and the door is propped wide open for pizza lovers and hungry college students.  

Upon entering the small pizza shop, you are instantly hit with amazing aromas such as the mixture of dough, sauce, cheese and all sorts of toppings. As you walk through the narrowish shop, you are surrounded by 15 plus decorated Greek paddles hung on both well-lit brick walls. There are three TVs in between the sets of paddles that display a sports game but the sound of sports broadcasters and cheering are drowned out by the wide variety of music that blares through the big stage speakers by the front of the door.

As you walk up to order, a bright, borderline overwhelming menu board is shining down on you, making you second guess the plain jane cheese slice you might have had in mind. The menu consists of everything from specialty pizzas to Pretzellinies. As I waited for my order, another student and I got to talking about the very best things you can order from the extensive menu at Tri Pi. I settled on the melt in your mouth chicken bacon ranch pizza that they serve straight from the oven, my new found friend, on the other hand, chose the piled high pizza nachos, "Its the first thing I ever got here and it will be the last too"

As the night went on, the restaurant got fuller and fuller, some came stumbling in and out with pizza boxes full while others stayed to hang out for a while. After barely finishing my slice of heavenly pizza, I sat back and took in the atmosphere of the cozy little pizza shop. In the corner of the restaurant - near the restrooms, two guys drunkenly try to play Pacman and losing pretty bad. In another corner sits a group of people yelling the lyrics to "Sweet Caroline" along with the speaker. I realized that Tri Pi is more than just a little pizza place on the main street of a college town. Tri Pi is a  homey place with personable people that just want you to have a good time and eat some good food, and that is why Tri Pi stands out from the others.

Olive Garden

Pursue your dreams Olive Garden

            In the beginning, Olive Garden's first restaurant opened in Orlando, Florida in 1984. Currently Olive Garden is owned by the Darden Family restaurants. The Olive Garden owners want a tradition that lasts for a long time and that is sticking together with your family. Everything is better and happier when you're with family and you're together that is their goal in treating all the customers as family. 

Entrance when you walk in

      As you walk in the doors of the Olive Garden in Bloomsburg you're instantly hit with the aroma of the garlic bread sticks and the flavory smells of Italian food.  At first glance, pass the smiling waitresses, dressed in all black, the wine bottles sat in columns and rows like the Italian army waiting to serve its customers. As you gaze the walls of pictures and vines you notice an arch above the wine made with cobblestone and brick. Making the grand entrance a warm welcoming to their customers.

         Once you walk in the door the atmosphere feels relaxing and you're greeted by an employee, "Hi, welcome to Olive Garden how many people will be eating today in your party?" Once we replied we needed to wait because all the tables were occupied. Once you observe more while you're waiting for your table you will notice more people coming in. There was this younger couple that came in both had black hair and wasn't dressed appropriately for the dinner. Once they came in and found out they had to wait for a little bit the man got upset saying, "I can't wait this long... lets go," seeing the customers leave the employees tried everything they can but they couldn't break the hard minded person into waiting for ten minutes. While all of this was going on our buzzer vibrated my hand and we were ready to go to our table. 

Peach Belini

           The eating area was crowded with people. Every table either taken or waiting to be cleaned up. Every table had black tablets on the tables. When we were all settled in to our booth with tan colored cushions and a nice dim low hanging chandelier above the middle of the table. Once our waiter came to our table he greeted himself by saying his name. He was dressed in all black very tall and skinny. His personality was great with how he interacted with customers and us. He treated every customer with respect and very talkative. "How's it going guys, my name is Sean, can I start you off with some drinks?" What I got was a Peach Bellini iced tea which is my favorite. It has a smooth feel to it with a hint of peach and the freshly brewed tea. 

Seafood Alfredo

        As Sean came out he presented our drinks on a black circular shaped platter. Then Sean asked us, "Are you guys ready to order?" I replied by asking his opinion on a dish that I was willing to try. "The Seafood Alfredo is the best dish here in my opinion every time I eat here I get that all the time, It tastes great!" With that answer I had to get that in which I did. 

        In closing, Olive Garden can always be a way to get family together and make it a relaxing scenario. Once you visit the Olive Garden in Bloomsburg you will feel like you're at home.  When I was leaving the restaurant Sean says, "You will like it here at Bloomsburg. You will get through school and pursue your dreams man. Now have goodnight. " With him saying I wasn't nervous for college I was ready to pursue my dreams.

Petco Blog

Petco 

      Meow, sssss, woof. "Welcome to Petco, is there anything I can help you with?", are the first sounds you hear as you walk through the automatic sliding doors of the Petco.  The Petco is located in the Buckhorn Plaza, with nearby Walmart, Panera, Marshalls, and more.  The store is a pet supply store in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. It is about a 10 minute drive from Bloomsburg University. The store is very welcoming and an exciting experience, if you enjoy looking at pets.  


  The company Petco also owns the naming rights to the Petco Park baseball Stadium, it is the home of the San Diego Padres.  The first Petco was founded in 1965.  It was founded as a mail- order veterinary supplies business in San Diego, California.  The company soon introduces Red Ruff and Blue Mews as its official logo mascots in 1991.  Later, in 2010, the first National Pet Food Bank was launched by Petco and the Petco Foundation partner.  This was designed to help families who are financially struggling to keep their pets. Now, Petco has more than 50 years of service to families with pets and is a leading pet specialty retailer.  Petco strives to help guide people to have healthier and happier pets. Some services they provide are dog training, grooming, vaccinations, and pet sitting. 


    

 The Petco in the Buckhorn Plaza is open Monday-Saturday 9:00am- 9:00pm. On Sundays they are open from 10:00am-7:00pm.  If you are looking for a new pet, this is a good place to go.  Walking into the Petco, you are welcomed by a worker asking if you if you need help with anything.  Then, as you go in, you see many different varieties of fish: red, blue, pink, yellow, orange, rainbow and so many more. As you keep walking into the store towards the fish, you hear the loud flowing of water from the filters running.  Not only are there fish to choose from in that section, but also turtles and different kinds of plants for your aquarium. To the right, when you walk in, is the kitty adoption cages, and as you walk by one can hear the "meow" of the cats who are waiting to be adopted. To the left, you see the rodents: ferrets, hamsters, guinea pigs,  mice, and gerbils. This spot is not the best smelling spot.  The smell of all the rodents together is a potent smell. The hamsters are usually hiding in their little hamster houses or running sprightly on their wheels. Guinea pigs are chasing one another in their cages.  All of the mice can be seen jumping around, chasing each other, very high in energy.  Next to the rodents are the reptiles.  There are so many different reptiles to pick from: bearded dragons, leopard geckos, lizards, and more.  Most of the reptiles are relaxed, with the exception of one section, the lizards. As you walk past their tank, they become very active and begin hopping around and off the walls.

  The Petco is not only for buying pets, but also shopping for supplies.  It has everything you need for your pet. Pet clothes are scattered all throughout the store, from pink little tu-tus for your dog to a skull vest for you cat.  Pet food, cages, supplies, anything you need, it will be there in one of those crowded aisles. Petco is a great place to visit, meander around, and  view all the different pets.  The store is very welcoming.  While chatting with the workers, they stated they loved working at the store because of their love for animals.  If you have a passion for pets and animals, this is the place for you.     

Sydney

Saving Sydney

Photo courtesy of Northumberland Hall Instagram (Far Right side of photo)

If you are one of the lucky few that get to live in Northumberland hall and are coming home after a long day of school and work you may encounter a sweet and warm hello from our very goofy but loving man named Sydney Trutt. He is extremely easy going and tries to make sure that everyone around him is happy and that there lives are a little bit easier. He makes everyone that walks in feel very welcome and cared for at North.

Sydney came to Bloomsburg University in the fall of 2018 and even though many would say that he looks like he would be a senior, he is only a sophomore. Like every other teenager fresh out of high school looking for the college of their dreams, Sydney was searching for his perfect college. "Out of all the colleges I visited this one felt like home" is what he said about Bloomsburg. Of course like every other freshman he was extremely nervous and anxious but with all of that he knew he was going to be fine. "I was nervous but I knew I would figure everything out eventually". While being here he would have good days and sometimes have bad days but he would just take it day by day and he wouldn't stress about the future and would just live in the present. When it came time to pick majors he thought psychology would be the best fit for him. "I'm very good at handling people during very emotional times". Even though his specialty was helping others with their problems he felt that psychology was not something he wanted to do for a living. He is currently still a psychology major but is hoping to change it to undecided until he is able to figure out what he wants to do.

Even though many people think Sydney has everything figured out but just like everyone else has issues to deal with everyday. When he first came to Bloomsburg he didn't realize how important his mental health was until he came to Bloomsburg. "Your classes are important but you are the most important factor in your college career and how you handle yourself is what's going to determine how well you do in school". He still struggles to this day but the only difference between him and other people is that he doesn't let it show. He doesn't let his emotions get the best of him and doesn't show the world what he is actually feeling. Of course if he is really struggling he will talk to other Ca's or he will just take a stroll around campus to clear his head.

Now he's not just only a sophomore but he is also my Ca for Northumberland. The definition of Ca is Community Assistant which are people that help the growth and well-being of the residents of Bloomsburg but Sydney had a different approach, "A Ca is someone who is there for residents whenever they need some kind of assistance and you have to be a year through college and have a better understanding of how everything works". He like every other Ca helps and guides all of their residents to feel more comfortable and to feel like they are at a home. Sydney is very good at what he does and is always willing to give out a helping hand when it is needed. Now the funny thing is, he actually did not want to be a Ca at first but the only reason he became one was because all of his Ca's when he was a freshman at college kept pressuring him to do it. So he decided to sign up and go through the process of being a Ca and said "I think this will be a good idea and I actually like the thought of me doing this and so far I love it so I'm glad I chose to put aside my ego and try something new". He absolutely loves being a Ca even though the job itself can be stressful he still enjoys working with other residents. He also loves working with the other Cas in the building and they love working with him. His thoughts on what it's like to be a Ca "I'm just living my daily life it's just that I have a more authoritative figure and are cautious as what they say to me because of me now being a Ca" He feel like people can trust him but at the same time are careful as what they say or joke about.

Me and my roommate's door

Sydney's door for Halloween.

He may be a Ca but he also likes to be a little of a comedian especially when asked what things he has done for the people in this building and he responds as "Well I'm helping with your interview right now so there's that". He loves helping out people the best of his ability even if he has no idea what he is doing but he will try his best and try to solve the issues. Even if he does not know the answer he will stop at nothing to go find that answer. Ca's not only need to be able to be good leaders and help out people when needed but they also need a sense of creativity. Sydney is very creative and both him and my main Ca Lyn decorated our halls to make it more home like and more fun to look at. The theme of Sydney's hall is the jungle and every aspect of it is adorable and wonderfully done.
His sense of leadership, friendliness, creativity, calmness, and all around sweet is what really makes Sydney special and an amazing Ca and a really cool guy to hang out with.

CA Of The Strip

The CA She Never Had



                    "I became a CA because I want to be the CA I never had" said by Emily Henderson. She wanted to have relationships and be engaged with her residents. She also commented "fun but professional" that means she can be fun, but when its time to do her job she was serious about it. "Its hard but my planner helps through out the year, and its important to know when to say no." after she explained how she handle being a student and being a CA. She is not a regular CA, she takes this job with a lot of excitement and joy. 

                               

                                                 Emily Henderson is from Lords Valley, PA. She is 5'4 and wear glasses. "She has that mom voice, you know her voice from a far" words from a resident on her floor. She loves to have conversations with her residents or do activities with them. "I believe I can talk to her about college stuff or some personal stuff." said by another resident on her floor. 
   
                         Emily didn't know she was going to be a CA when she was coming into college. Her CA wasn't what she thought she would be. She found that out by asking her CA about her roommate, "me and my roommate had problems, and my CA didn't help or care" said by her with a very mad face. That made her think about becoming a CA just because of that moment of her life. So when she became one, she said she would be better and more caring for her residents. 

                           http://reslife.bloomu.edu/employment-ca.php
                                                         
                                          "The overall goal of a Community Assistant is to serve as a peer educator and helper while facilitating the personal and academic growth and development of residential students. CAs are chosen on the basis of leadership experiences, interpersonal skills, interest in working with students to develop a positive floor/hall/apartment community, and willingness to be actively involved in their own personal growth and development." this is what you need to become a CA. "More requirements for CA's are you have to be a undergraduate student, good academic standing with at least a 2.40 cumulative GPA, good judicial standing with no current disciplinary sanctions".

                             The CA's got to build relationships with their residents. "Has to plan events for a her residents, so they connect with each other. Some responsibilities they have are attend all training and staff development activities assist with all openings/closings weekly staff meetings". They also have to gain trust from their residents, so they would have conversations with them. They also have to be a responsible CA at all times on campus.

The Good And Bad Of This Job

                            The good of being CA; first the room fee get waived. Another good thing is they get to meet the freshman's and have conversations with them. They get to hear stories of people college experiences and tell experiences. Another good part of being a CA is seeing your residents around campus. Lastly CA can build bonds with their residents.


The bad of being CA; first is time, not being able to be with friends all the time. Second is remembering that you are a CA, and you can’t do what other students do. It’s not a lot of bad points of being a CA. Also, Emily didn’t mention much about the bad of being a CA. “I have limitations on what I can do and can’t do, and certain weekends we can’t go out” she said with a slight frown on face. That’s the only thing Emily said bad about her job.

              

How Emily Life Changed After Being A CA            

                                    
First, “sit down with adviser, and schedule her classes by her goals” was the first thing Emily did to schedule her classes with her CA job. She had to limit her time with her friends, most of her time was school and being a CA. She had to make time to plan activities for her residents or time to have a conversation with them. On her free time, she tries to meet new people in her hall or campus.

              Emily believes she is doing a good job with being a CA. She connects with her residents, shows respects and gets respect in return. Her resident thinks highly of her, no bad things said about Emily. When she’s in her dorm, her door is open for her resident to come and conversation. “we call Elwell 4^th floor east the strip” words from Emily with a big smile on her face.

                           

                                         

A Brief History of the Lightstreet Hotel

A Brief History of the Lightstreet Hotel

                                                                                                   

Back Side of Lightstreet Hotel

       The Lightstreet Hotel which is located in Lightstreet,Pa has been a staple of success for many  years in Bloomsburg. It is open 6 days of the week from 3pm-9pm and 11am-8pm on sundays. It has been around for a 163 years and it has kept its original foundation ever since. It's so old that it has been there since before the Civil War!At first it started out as just a hotel but over the years it got converted to both a restaurant and bar like it is today. With it's long history there comes the tales of many ghost stories about the hotel. There is an urban legend that goes around that has been passed down from generations that there is a  ghost called Gus who was formally a railroad worker, past owners have put his spirit in room 8 which is right above the bar, one employee has claimed to hear footsteps at the end of a shift at night and also saw the lights flickering. The Lightstreet Hotel has stood the test of time. The three most recognized historical parts of the Lightstreet Hotel are the bar,jukebox and patio, they are the most integral parts of the Lightstreet Hotel.  Amanda Dunne who is the current owner of the Hotel had purchased the Hotel in "December of 2007". "After finishing my masters degree, the old owner was getting ready to sell the place and I decided that since I already worked 8 years there that I would purchase it. There was just a certain charm of the place that I loved".  

Front Side of Lightstreet Hotel

         As you walk in through the  front dining entrance as seen in figure 2 above you will see that as you walk in a doorway that is located immediately to your right along with the bar. Right as you walk up to the bar a strong scent of alcohol immediately hits you in the face and the clinking of glasses along with the swooshing sound of the beer as the bartender is pouring it to the customer.There are barstools for customers to sit on in front of the bar. Along with  a smooth brown countertop for you to set your drinks or food on to enjoy and eat. Along the back wall of the bar you will see a big flat screen TV that play's ESPN for all the sports fans that like to come in and enjoy watching football.   Along with the bar and its past in the Lightstreet Hotel, Amanda replied with what her favorite memory was. "We've had so many wonderful and memorable events held at the bar... one that sticks with me is the Guest Bartending event we held for a 5 year old girl named Audrianna who passed a couple months later after; I feel her spirit flutters around us and I think about her everyday."The bar is an integral part of the Lightstreet Hotel because of cherised moments like these.

   
    The Hotel has many interesting historical features such as the bar and also the jukebox.  There is a Touch Tune Jukebox in the corner of the restaurant that is adjacent to the bar. It creates a sense of relaxation and enjoyment to the customers needs. It is brightly lit up that is about 2ft high off the ground. It varies from the basic colors of everyday life. The jukebox that is currently there is a replacement of the old one being 26 years of age. As Amanda states, " The old jukebox was not Wi-fi compatible like the current one is, you had to put coins in that rotated CDs; the newer jukebox now is compatible with Wi-fi via your cellphone and can play whatever you desire, one of the more ferequented songs customers play are classic rock and country."

Front View of Touch Tune Jukebox

       Another historical piece of the Hotel that the hotel has to offer is the patio. Walking through the restuarant you come to a set of french doors that leads you to the patio. Walking out around dusk the twinkling ferrylights mixed with the smell of the hydrangeas and fresh food right out of the oven creates a sense of comfort and relaxation to the customer.  As I stand on the patio Amanda states "This is our generation of the hotel, it was a wasted space of dirt and grass...it was time to make  a move and build it; we host many wedding proposals,fundraisers ,birthdays, we are very proud of the space that we created."

View of Patio from Porch deck.

     As you can see the Hotel is filled with relics of both the past and present. The Lightstreet Hotel being opened for 163 years has affected many people including my own. Over the years working there myself and seeing the crowds coming in and out every night I have seen it evolve greatly. The history of the bar, patio and jukebox have all affected the community. In particular throughout history the bar,patio and jukebox have all brought  highly spirited customers in who just bring in a great atmosphere and make the workers night wonderful. It will continue to be a staple of success throughout the future in Bloomsburg.

MOJO 516

Mojo 516

Photo courtesy of Mojo.516 Instagram

At precisely 7am Francine will unlock the front door and plug in the open sign. Her slicked back pony tale, along with all black uniform shows she means business. The look in her eyes reveals she has been up and busy for a while, as do the fresh stains on her t-shirt. Her early morning work is well appreciated as a line forms in the small business, and the sweet smell of banana chocolate chip muffins mixes with hot drip coffee and hits noses of tired Lafayette students on their way to class. She darts back and forth making breakfast sandwiches, coffees and smoothies until reinforcements come to back her up in the small already steamy kitchen.

In the back kitchen, freezers of fresh frozen fruit surround a small bain-marie where another employee dressed similarly goes through the cycle of cracking and whipping eggs, and the all too familiar act of smearing cream cheese on a toasted bagel. Neon sticky notes with shorthand orders line the microwaves and for every one finished three new ones seem to appear. The hands on the clock continue to move as someone runs orders, battling to call out names over the coffee house station, whirring of blenders, slurping of straws and constant rotation of the door.

The back door swings open to dump dirty dishes in the sink and wipe down tables with damp towels smelling faintly of bleach. The line in the front has changed into the lunch crew and the silent orders of the regulars are put through the system of employees like a well oiled machine: "We work together like a family, we anticipate each others moves and know everyone's strengths and weaknesses. It is all about working together," says Nicole a long time employee and master egg cracker.

One of the customer's favorites, sausage
egg and cheese with avocado on whole
wheat toast.

The rest of the day seems to go by in a blur as employees come and go like substitutes on the side of a football game, slapping each others butts as they gear up for a shift of hustle and bustle. People dash to the back storage area looking for extra pineapple juice and Nutella, trying to restock in preparation for the next wave of customers. They pass the employee entrance and by 4:30 pm on a Friday afternoon, music is blaring from the back porches of fraternity houses, shaking the ground of the little cafe. Daring members will try to park in the employee parking lot, only to be told to leave, and on more than one occasion the party attendants who have had too much to drink will mistake the clearly labeled door as the entrance to the bathroom, and USE the bathroom. Vicky Galanos, co-owner and sister explains, "The majority of Mojo's customers are twenty-something year old college students who don't really fear anything. We deal with the everyday bullshit like people peeing in the back because we honestly work for them." This passion for the customers is what has kept the business running.

The Galanos family has worked on March Street for 5 years as Mojo cafe, serving students and locals just about everyday of the year. Lambros and Kathy, the owners also own Campus Pizza, a shop two buildings down from Mojo, keeping the family close and their history on the block rich. Their daughters Francine and Vicky manage the day to day of the cafe, and employ 6 women. They do not strictly hire females, but when remarked upon Francine rolls her eyes to the sky and remarks, "we had one guy who worked her but he couldn't keep up, he had a breakdown in the middle of a rush and walked out," so the seven ladies run the little store front, making smoothies, coffees, pressed juices, breakfast sandwiches and much more. 

http://www.mojo516cafe.com

Around 5:00pm the ladies of Mojo prepare for closing and Lambros will make his rounds. He passes through the front, greeting every student and customer by name and spreading hugs and greetings as he takes mental note of what needs to be done. He makes himself a strong freddo espresso, whipping his double shot, and in his thick greek accent remarks on what is left to be cleaned and restocked before he saunters down the street to his second establishment and gears up for a night of making pizzas and pouring beers for the same customers who were in Mojo for their coffees earlier.

If the ladies are lucky, at 6:00pm the open sign is unplugged. Without a moment of hesitation, floors are swept and mopped, fruit is cut and the garbage is taken out. Punch cards are signed off by 7:00pm and the workers of Mojo 516 cafe sit on the back stoop and debrief about their days. It is like exhaling the crazy customers, spilled cups and behind the scenes bickering out of their systems.

Knoebels Crystal Pool

Knoebels Crystal Pool

(Figure 1)

One of the first things that visitors at Knoebels notice is not just all the great smells like fresh popped kettle corn,  and many other Golden-Ticket award winning foods, and the many sounds of children's cheers riding the 60+ rides, but also the sights are always drawn to the very large bright green 850,000 gallon crystal clear pool which stands in the heart of Knoebels.  The pool has 4 diving boards.  Two of the diving boards stand an impressive 3 meters tall, one has an old-fashion wooden board and the other has a spring board.  The next size is a 1 meter with a spring board, and the smallest one is only a half meter for those not daring enough to take on the intimidating 3 meter climb.  The main pool also has a great big brown stone fountain that is settled in the middle of the pool with water majestically flowing down the sides at a constant rate.   There are also two metal slides, one in the shallow end for the youngsters, and one in the 5-ft area for the young at heart. "Our pool is filled with refreshing water that comes straight from the Mugsters Run creek that flows right through Knoebels," says Park Facilities Manager, Jeff Kashner, who stands tall with short brown hair and a vibrant blue shirt with the name Knoebels stitched into the right side of his shirt over his chest.  It takes about 24 hours to fill Knoebels' massive pool. 

(Figure 2)

Tucked away in the back is a delightfully contained area for children who haven't quite learned how to swim yet and just want to get a feel for the water, yet enjoy the sights and feel of creek water beneath their feet. "Back in our kiddie pool area, we have many different things for young children to play on, and to simply have a great time" says Kashner.  There are swings for babies to sit in, a bright blue splash pad with water spraying skyward from it, a large purple mushroom with water cascading from the top flowing down the sides.  "One of the biggest hits in our kiddie pool is the inviting frog slide," says Kashner with a small chuckle.  The slide is bright green with little dark green spots all around it with a large pink tongue rolled out for children to slide down.  They also have 2 baby frogs for children to sit on, along with 2 purple whales that spray water when you rock back and forth on them.  "Many of our guests have little kids, and this is the perfect area for the parents to come and just get their feet wet and have a great time with their children," exclaimed Kashner.  

(Figure 3)

At the KCP there are many other fun things to do than just swimming in the large swimming pool and kiddie pool area.  In the other corner of the pool complex, there is a huge net that is suspended from the trees and supported by large metal bars.  It's called the Nets O' Fun.  "We often have adult customers come up to our staff and ask if they aloud to climb on the nets, or are they just for the kids?" shared Jeff Kashner.  With a chuckle under their breath and a smile on their face, they kindly reply "yes of course, they are for anyone".  The nets are a  favorite entertainment area at the pool for both young and "young at heart".  However, the greatest hit is probably the 2 different water slides at the Knoebels pool.  The tube slide is 2 grand, dark blue colored tubes that are very windy and shoot you out at the bottom (figure 3).  At the tube slide, there are big yellow inflated inner tubes with blue handles on the sides.  Some of the tubes have green tiger stripes.  You can either choose from a single or a double tube to share the fun with a friend.  To get to the top of this slide, you have to be willing to ascend a tremendously long and towering incline.  Once you get to the top, you sit with your bottom end in the center of the tube, and let the water swish you down the slide.  If you just take a short walk across the deck, you will see the dark green speed slide.  On this ride you do not use a yellow tube, you use a squishy foam blue mat with handles on the top of it.  This slide has quite the walk to the top as well.  Instead of riding on your butt though, you lay flat on your stomach, chin up and elbows tucked against your body.  This slide is incredibly fast and rockets you all the way to the end of the slide.


Since the pool is so enormous, they need many lifeguards to diligently watch all the people in the pool.  "We always have 12 or more lifeguards on the pool at once," says Jeffrey Kashner Jr., Pool Manager at Knoebels, with light brown hair and a bright orange shirt with the Knoebels logo printed on the left upper chest. "No matter if there are hundreds of people or just 3 people, we always have  12 or more guards spread out on the pool at a time," says Jeffrey with a serious look on his face. The Knoebels Crystal Pool, KCP for short, employs over 50 lifeguards and approximately 45 slide guards.  The lifeguards and slide guards have to go through a tenacious training every year.  They also meet every Saturday morning before the pool opens to the public to go over the training.  Every guard has to be certified in CPR and first aide, often certified by their very own head lifeguard Matt Weller, who is certified to train and certify others in life guarding and CPR, AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), and first aid.  He is also a water safety instructor, as well as certified pool operator.  At the Saturday trainings the guards use each other to practice making a save and how to properly use the backboard to prepare for any type of emergency. 

(Figure 4)

The pool is often used as a spot where most of the gatherings are held for the employees.     Knoebels treats all of their employees remarkable.  They put on many different events just for the workers quit often.  One of the main events is the block party.  The block party use to be held in and around the different spots in the park, but they moved it to the pool because it brings everyone closer together.  There're different themes every year.  "The them of the block party this year was A Night In Hollywood"said Jeffrey.  At the block party they have a pig roast and get pizza from Cesari's Pizza in the park.  They always have fun games, and a raffle ticket give away with lots of great prizes.  Another main event that the pool holds is the boat regatta.  This event is held every other year.  Each department makes a boat out of only cardboard and duck tape.  Then they race them from the deep end of the pool to the shallow end. "Everyone always has such a great time at the boat regatta", stated Jeff.  "All the different departments cheer for their team mates", he continued.   There are a couple awards that the different departments can win.  The titanic is for the boat that sinks the fastest.  Best design goes to the most creative boat.  The last one is the over all winner.  "We (the Pool) have won this award (over all winner) for many years in a row, and every year the departments try to beat us", proclaimed Jeff.  "We're undefeated champs, woooo" cheered one of the employees walking by.  He was helping close the pool to prepare for the winter.  Interesting fact that not many people may know, is that although the pool is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year, Knoebels employees over 200 full time employees year round making improvements to the pool as well as every aspect of the Park itself.

Its Not All Fun and Games 

His eyes immediately go right toward the colorful banner with abbreviated greek letters, so many questions running through his head.  As he walks up to the table with three guys dressed in Greek Life shirts, cargo shorts, and vans, he hopes to be able to make it through what he has heard is hell. He knows it’ll be worth it in the end and he wants in so bad. Asking endless questions, while trying not to look stupid, he learns more about what it means to be apart of a fraternity. Nervous yet excited he walks away with hope he will receive a text soon, asking him to join them in their brotherhood.

In 1776, John Heath was rejected by two latin secret sororities on campus. So he decided to make his own society with a couple of friends, today we know it as a Fraternity. Heath was a greek scholar, so he began the tradition of naming college organizations after the initials of their secret greek motto. Fraternity is the latin word for Frater meaning “brother”. The model for modern greek life today can be credited to Union University in New York in 1825. Ultimately greek life is viewed in many ways, however as you go in depth you notice everything it takes to be apart of a Fraternity. 

There are multiple steps to joining the organization. The first step is the rushing process, where you can come and meet other fraternity members. You get to socialize and explore the various things they have to offer.  After the rushing process is completed, the fraternity discusses with the other members if they are suitable to join or not. If after socializing and being interviewed the members think you will make a good fit, they may offer you a bid. A bid is an offer to join the organization. When this is received the pledging process begins. You go through challenges to challenge yourself and your mind to see if you have the dedication it takes to join. Finally after you completed all this, which can last up to 6 weeks, you are now a member of a brotherhood that will be carried with you throughout life. (see video for more details)

Although most people believe Fraternities just party and goof around, they have many responsibilities and duties. When interviewing a member of Zetta Psi, Tyler, he explained some of his duties. “There are many responsibilities that come with joining a fraternity. You have to be loyal, trustworthy, considerate to others, and generally enthusiastic. Other responsibilities also involve paying fraternity dues, doing volunteer work, and keeping up with grades especially.” he said.  All members of Greek life have to pay dues to be a member. It costs $800 to join, this payment goes straight to the house, it pays for food, drinks, and whatever else the house decides they need/want. Ty also stated, “Being in a Frat is awesome, I got to meet so many new people and be apart of so many new things and experiences. I would recommend joining Greek Life to anyone who asks or who is up in the air about joining.” Ultimately Greek Life improves college students life and is a unforgettable experience.

Panera Bread

After a long day of work, what's better than a turkey and avocado BLT from your local Panera Bread? This restaurant has a variety of dishes for everyone to stop by and enjoy. Panera Bread has been around for years and it has always been known for it's choice of good, healthy food. The menu consists of soups,sandwiches, salads, and more. All which is made with healthy and fresh ingredients. Not only are you guaranteed a delicious meal, but excellent and fast customer service. "we are trained to have your food ready under five minutes" states Jennifer from Panera Bread.

The outside Panera Bread is a simple dark green color, but when you walk in you will notice really nice 3-D frames on the walls. There's also 8 lamps hanging from the ceiling with a yellow tone that gives the restaurant a warm feeling. There's music playing not too high or low, just perfect for the environment, and once you are close enough to the cashier register is when you'll sense the smell of fresh bakery.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

  It all starts at 6 am when Jennifer and her coworkers begin to prepare the kitchen by checking expiration dates, making sure everything is stocked, and clean. After all of this is done, the place is officially open. As customers start to walk in, they will find themselves with options to order their meal. The first choice is through a tablet. There's also a more convenient way which is at a register. A Panera Bread associate dressed in all black and a dark green hat and apron will then receive the order and begin to make it. At this point, you can go ahead and pick a table, either indoors or outdoors. Before you know it your food is ready and served.